UNHCR to expand assistance to Mosul displaced and Syrian refugees thanks to latest contribution from Government of Japan

Baghdad, Iraq 15.02.2017: UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has welcomed the announcement of nearly $17m in extra funding for its work by the Government of Japan. The funding will allow UNHCR to expand the provision of emergency items, shelter and cash assistance to Iraqi families displaced from Mosul conflict and to Syrian refugees.

The bulk of the funding - $14.3m – will be allocated to programmes for Iraqis recently displaced due to the Mosul offensive, with $ 2.6m allocated to the agency’s work for Syrian refugees, mainly in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I).

The Japanese grant will also support provision for families in new camps in Ninewa and Erbil governorates. Some of the most vulnerable families will also receive cash assistance. Camp management and camp coordination activities will also be supported.

In addition, the funding from Japan will be used to establish quick impact projects (QIPs) along with community support projects to foster peaceful co-existence between displaced Iraqis and host communities. The projects will cover rehabilitation of infrastructure, development of safe spaces for women, recreational activities for children and youth and vocational training.

“This shows Japan’s strong and faithful commitment to addressing IDPs crisis in Iraq as part of a new package of humanitarian, counter-terrorism and social stabilization support to Iraq amounting to around $100m,” said Mr Fumio Iwai, Ambassador of Japan to Iraq. “Japan is determined to serve displaced Iraqi families and Syrian refugees as well as host communities respecting human dignity,” he added.

“With the expected increase in displacement from Mosul and surrounding areas, funding from the Government of Japan enables us to expand our provision of vital shelter and emergency relief items to those who need it most,” said UNHCR’s Representative in Iraq, Bruno Geddo. “We will also be able to continue to support Syrian refugees across Iraq, as their situation becomes ever-more challenging, with the Syria crisis soon to enter a seventh year”, he added.

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